The Choker: an aberrant monster of Dungeons & Dragons
The Choker is a fantasy creature that is part of the world of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Its name comes from its ability to strangle its victims with its long tentacle-like arms. The Choker was created in 1988 by Bruce Heard, one of the authors of Dungeons & Dragons, and published in the accessory The Dwarves of Rockhome, dedicated to the race of dwarves. Since then, the Choker has appeared in different editions and settings of the game, such as Mystara, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0.
In this article, we will explore the characteristics, abilities and combat tactics of this aberrant monster, as well as some of the adventures where it has been featured. We will also provide some tips and strategies for facing a Choker in a game session.
Characteristics and Abilities
The Choker is classified as an aberrant monster, that is, a creature that defies the natural laws of existence. It lives underground, in caves or tunnels, and feeds on meat. It speaks the Deep Language, an idiom used by abyssal creatures.
The Choker has a body similar to that of a halfling, but with long and thin arms and legs like tentacles. It can move with great speed and agility, climb on walls and ceilings, and pass through narrow spaces thanks to its flexible skeleton. It is a chaotic and evil creature, that preys on almost any living being.
The Choker has two main weapons: its tentacle arms and its sharp teeth. Its arms have a reach of 10 feet and can inflict bludgeoning or piercing damage. Moreover, if the Choker manages to hit a creature with both arms, it can attempt to strangle it, preventing it from breathing and speaking. Its teeth can bite a creature that has already been grabbed by one of its arms, inflicting additional piercing damage.
The Choker also has some special abilities that make it a dangerous and unpredictable opponent. One of these is Aberrant Speed, which allows it to perform an extra action on its turn, once every short or long rest. This ability allows it to attack more times, move faster or perform other useful actions in combat. Another ability is Boneless, which allows it to move and occupy a narrow space as small as 4 inches without having to squeeze. This ability allows it to pass through cracks or openings that would be inaccessible to other creatures. Finally, the Choker has the Spider Climb ability, which allows it to climb on difficult surfaces, including the ceiling, without having to make an ability check. This ability allows it to take advantage of its environment and surprise its prey from unexpected angles.
Combat Tactics
The Choker prefers close-range combat, exploiting its agility and flexibility. It often hides near the ceiling, in strategic points such as intersections, arches, wells or stairs, and ambushes its prey. The Choker attacks creatures of almost any size, but prefers solitary prey of its size or larger. If it is very hungry, it can also attack a group, but waits to grab the last creature in line.
To effectively face a Choker, one must take into account its strengths and weaknesses. Its strengths are its agility, flexibility, reach and strangling ability. Its weaknesses are its low intelligence, poor endurance and vulnerability to fire.
Some possible strategies for fighting a Choker are:
- Use ranged weapons or spells to hit it before it gets close.
- Use weapons or spells that deal fire damage to exploit its vulnerability.
- Use weapons or spells that deal slashing damage to cut off its tentacle arms.
- Use weapons or spells that deal acid damage to melt its boneless body.
- Use weapons or spells that deal thunder damage to stun or scare it.
- Use weapons or spells that deal radiant damage to blind or distract it.
- Use weapons or spells that deal necrotic damage to weaken or poison it.
- Use weapons or spells that deal psychic damage to confuse or dominate it.
- Use weapons or spells that deal force damage to push or teleport it.
- Use weapons or spells that deal radiation damage to mutate or disintegrate it.
Adventures
The Choker has also been featured in several adventures of Dungeons & Dragons, where it poses a threat to the heroes who explore the dark and dangerous places of the world. Here are some examples:
- In Tomb of Horrors, the Choker is one of the monsters that are found in the tomb of the demilich Acererak. This adventure was written by Gary Gygax in 1978 and is considered one of the most difficult and deadly ever.
- In Fantastic Locations: Fane of the Drow, the Choker is one of the creatures that infest the underground temple of the drow, a race of evil elves. This adventure was written by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel in 2005 and is accompanied by special maps for use with miniatures.
- In Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, the Choker is one of the monsters that hide in the castle of the vampire Strahd von Zarovich. This adventure was written by Bruce R. Cordell and James Wyatt in 2006 and is based on the classic
Ecology and Behavior
The Choker is a creature that adapts well to its underground environment, where it can find food and shelter. The Choker is not very selective in its diet, and will eat almost any living thing that it can catch and swallow. The Choker prefers to hunt at night, when it can use its darkvision to see in the dark. The Choker is also sensitive to vibrations, and can detect the presence of nearby creatures by feeling the tremors they cause. The Choker is not a social creature, and will usually avoid contact with other chokers, unless it is mating season or there is a scarcity of food. The Choker reproduces by laying eggs in moist and dark places, such as crevices or burrows. The eggs hatch after a few weeks, and the young chokers are independent from birth. The Choker has a lifespan of about 10 years, but can live longer if it avoids predators and diseases.
The Choker sometimes forms alliances with other aberrant creatures that live underground and share its chaotic and evil nature. Some examples are:
- The cloaker, a monster similar to a living cloak that can emit frightening sounds and create illusions. The cloaker can cooperate with the choker to confuse and terrorize the prey, and then share it.
- The grell, a monster similar to a flying octopus with a beak and paralyzing tentacles. The grell can cooperate with the choker to capture and immobilize the prey, and then feed on it.
- The mind flayer, a monster similar to a humanoid with tentacles on its face and psionic powers. The mind flayer can cooperate with the choker to mentally control the prey, and then suck its brain.
These are just some examples of possible allies of a choker. However, one must remember that the choker is a solitary and greedy creature, that does not trust easily other beings. Therefore, its alliances are often temporary and unstable, based on convenience or fear. If the choker sees the opportunity to betray its allies for more food or security, it will not hesitate to do so.
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Conclusion
The Choker is a fascinating and fearsome creature that inhabits the underground world of Dungeons & Dragons. It is an aberrant monster, meaning that it defies the natural laws of existence. It has long tentacle-like arms that can strangle its prey, and sharp teeth that can bite them. It has some special abilities, such as Aberrant Quickness, Boneless, and Spider Climb, that make it a dangerous and unpredictable opponent. It often hides near the ceiling and ambushes its prey, but it can also form alliances with other aberrant creatures, such as the cloaker, the grell, and the mind flayer. However, it is also a solitary and greedy creature, that will not hesitate to betray its allies for more food or security. The Choker is a challenge for any adventurer who dares to explore the dark and perilous places of the world.